this post was submitted on 15 Apr 2024
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Privacy
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I was wondering, does anyone know whether usernames are single use? As they can be created and disposed of at will, it feels like a loophole for phishing if someone else can claim a "no longer in use" username? I'm talking about someone using someone else's previous username.
Also the number at the end of the account name is randomly generated. So it would take a few attempts to get the username you want.
You can manually edit the number.
If you delete your username, yes, potentially someone else could use it. The upside of that is if your username gets reported after it's deleted, it can't be tied to anyone if it's not in use. The Signal service won't have a record since users can create and delete names at will, delete one, create a different one. It provides more anonimity due ro temporary usernames.
I suppose that's why you can accept the message or not. I believe they can be reused.